


The Beauty Of Your Smile

by Arian_Q



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, F/M, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:07:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23306542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arian_Q/pseuds/Arian_Q
Summary: Son Chaeyoung is the eldest child from a nice and humble family in the countryside. Myoui Mina is the only child from an incredibly wealthy family known for their clothing brand.Fate brings them together when Chaeyoung is given a scholarship to a boarding school and meets a face that will take over her sketchbook.This is the love story of two girls and how they age, along with the feelings they have towards each other.(2yeon is also included as a side ship)
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Yoo Jeongyeon, Myoui Mina/Son Chaeyoung
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally written on Wattpad under the same name. As the creator of this work, I wanted to move all of my fan fictions into one website. To the new readers here, welcome!

Son Chaeyoung sighed, looking at her own room. Everything was cleaned and organized. Her eyes took in her small room, trying to etch the sight of it into her head. She wasn't coming back here for quite some time.

She closed the door gently, looking at the two suitcases of luggage she had. With a grunt, she carried the big duffle bag ba containing personal objects. She simply pulled the other suitcase because it had wheels.

Her mom immediately scolded her as soon as she reached the living area.

"My baby Chae! What are you doing?" Her mother scolded her. "Here...let me do it..." Her mother urged by taking the big duffle bag.

Chaeyoung scoffed "but mom I'm the oldest! I'm not a baby anymore" she said with a chuckle. Her mother gave a sad smile and nodding to her daughter's wishes slowly.

The girl sighed, hugging her mother. "I'll be back soon when we have break. Trust that I'll be alright. Always have your phone in hand. I'll update you through calls, okay?" 

They separated. Her mother smiled proudly in agreement. They took the luggage to the porch and saw that the truck was already parked in front.

Chaeyoung's father got out of the vehicle, closing the door behind him. He hurried over to them and took the duffle bag first. He placed it in the back of the truck. He walked back to his daughter and smiled proudly.

"Look at my daughter... she's all grown up" her father grimaced. He was proud of his daughter but no parent can let go of their children that easily no matter how old they are.

Chaeyoung went down the steps of the porch. She stopped at someone hugging her arm. Looking down she realized it was her younger sister. "Somi" Chaeyoung hugged her tightly.

Her sister was only younger by a year. She had a younger brother as well who was currently seven.

"Help mom and dad while I'm gone, okay? Stop being lazy and get up early in the morning to help dad." Somi groaned at her older sister's words. She nodded nonetheless.

"Alright then...take care of yourself. Don't skip any meals and make sure to sleep at least eight hours." Chaeyoung rolled her eyes with a smile on her face as they separated. "Same goes for you Somi"

They both worked together to lift up her suitcase to the back of the truck. Their dad closed the tailgate. He lifted up his cap to wipe the sweat on his forehead before putting it back on.

"Chaeyoung, let's go" her father said, going inside to turn on the truck. Chaeyoung gulped, looking at her mother and sister. The three of them hugged tightly. They parted after a few seconds with Chaeyoung hurrying to the truck.

She got inside and looked at the rear mirror, seeing her mother and sister slowly get smaller as the truck began to take them to their next destination.

Chaeyoung sighed, looking out the open window. The sky was a dull grey as it was early in the morning. She had to go to the city and had a flight in a few hours. Today is going to be a long day.

She passed by the acres of orchards they have. Her family are farmers and earn their living by growing and selling a variety of fruits and vegetables. As the eldest she would normally help her father sell them. Now that she's going to be gone she worries a little.

She occupies her mind by listening to the small tune of the radio while looking out the window, seeing her getting farther from home and closer to the city.

After almost an hour drive, they finally made it to the city. The sight of it will always amaze her. She is always left in awe at the big crowds of people walking by or the tall buildings. She mostly goes to the city in order to help her dad sell. Other than that it's small trips to buy things she can't get in town.

She blinks, seeing that the truck has come to a total stop. Her father gets out to unload her luggage. Chaeyoung blinked, finally realizing the situation.

She's going to leave for years. If all goes well, only coming back a few times to visit. She'll no longer be at the secluded town she grew up in. It's going to be a different environment in which she has no experience with.

She got out of the old red truck she grew up with. For as long as she can remember, her father always had the same truck. It was his old reliable and a huge part of the family. A part of her is still surprised that it's still running up to this day. The paint was simply old and chipping off.

Closing the door behind her, she walked to her father. Together they took the luggage inside, seeing that the place was crowded. People were constantly on the move.

None of them knew what to do for a split second. It's their first time in an airport.

Chaeyoung fixed her glasses, following the signs. It took them nearly an hour to check in. They had to wait in a ridiculously long line for Chaeyoung's duffle bag to be taken. She was going to be take her suitcase with her in the airplane.

They were now waiting at the gate. Chaeyoung looked in amazement through the huge glass wall. A plane was stationed right in front of her. She's always seen planes from afar but never up close. They're bigger than she realized.

"I called your mother and told her that we've made it to the airport. They already miss you" her father joined her side, crossing his arms at the sight. Chaeyoung gave a small smile with a tiny sigh.

"Chaeyoung, you're smart and capable. Don't let anyone get to you and if they do, tell Dad so I can beat them up!" He stated, emphasizing his tall stature. Chaeyoung chuckled but nonetheless nodded. "If it's too much, you can always go back home. Don't stress too much, understood?" He wrapped an arm around his daughter.

Chaeyoung closed her eyes, taking the feeling in. She was going to miss her family.

An announcement disrupted their moment. It was time to board. People started to line up, checking in before going inside the hall that would lead them to the airplane. She gave a quick hug to her father.

"Take care, okay? Call me when you land!" Her father waved off as she began to line up. Once her paperwork was checked off, she hurried with the other people. She quickly turned around and waved at her dad, which was quickly returned.

She turned around and felt her heart beating quickly. She gulped and boarded the plane.

**======**

Myoui Mina sighed. She took a small break and took a step back to look at her dorm room. Half of it was perfectly cleaned out thanks to the help of friends. She's been living in the same dorm for a couple of years now. The roommate she had for a few years transferred to another school.

Nayeon closed the empty cabinet. Besides being the eldest out of the entire dorm, she was also one their dorm leaders. She made sure that everyone would be following their given schedules.

Nayeon looked at the other girls in the room who were also helping clean out. They all belonged to the same dorm floor and decided to help Mina clean and tidy before her new roommate showed.

"I think it's about done, girls." Nayeon said with a clap of her hands.

Momo immediately slumped on Mina's bed, tired. Tzuyu, the youngest out of all of them, raised her eyebrows at Momo. "You literally just ate in front of us. You didn't even help out…"

"Yah! Don't bicker today. Jihyo said we're getting our dorm mate today and the last thing she needs to see is us all like this." Nayeon scolded the girls. 

Sana squealed, hopping in one place. She was excited and curious about their new dorm mate. Dahyun stopped sweeping the floor "You sound really excited even though it's Mina unnie who's getting the roommate"

"But she's going to be our dorm mate. We'll all be living on the same floor so she's bound to hang out with us sometimes" Sana countered with a bright smile.

"Too bright…" Dahyun exaggerated, talking about the hyper chipmunk next to her. She turned over to Tzuyu. "She's your roommate…how do you handle this every day?"

Tzuyu sat on Mina's bed, "she's like a back pain. As the years go by, you slowly stop acknowledging it's presence" she crossed her arms with a stoic face.

"Cold…" Momo muttered.

"Do you know anything about Mina's new roommate?" Dahyun turned to Nayeon.

"Jihyo left in a hurry to help settle in the new students…." Nayeon sighed. "I actually have to pick her up at three. Her name is Tae…Taeyun?"

"Isn't that a guy's name?" Mina looked perplexed.

"I don't know!" Nayeon admitted. "Jihyo left and that's the name I was able to pick up."

"Yah! Nayeon, it's 4:40!" Tzuyu looked at her phone.

Nayeon paled, looking at her watch.

"You're kidding…it's three! Not four" Nayeon showed her watch to the youngest. Momo and Sana lightly laughed nervously, getting timid all of a sudden. "Actually we…." Momo tried to say but failed. Sana then took it upon herself to confess.

"We changed the time on your watch as a prank two days ago..."

The whole room went silent.

The girls all then began to run out the room.

Jihyo was definitely going to have their heads.

 **(A/N: I haven't forgotten about you,** **Jeongyeon** **! She will make an appearance next chapter)**

**======**

Chaeyoung lowly whistled, looking at the huge campus around her. She was fascinated at the sight. It looked like a she was in Hogwarts. There was grass everywhere and pathways for the students to walk in. The buildings looked tall and antique.

She remembers the student guide, Jihyo, telling the new students that they went through a renovation process. Some areas might look antique and some are modern. She was excited to check out the place whenever she had the time to.. Now she simply pulled her suitcase while carrying her duffle.

A brief tour was given, for the next day the new students will be able to explore the campus themselves. At the end the students will be picked up by one of their dorm leaders to help them settle in. Chaeyoung looked around, seeing that everyone was already leaving with their dorm leaders. She looked at the piece of paper she had, giving her dorm information.

"Ah! You must be our dorm mate!" Chaeyoung looked up to see Jihyo smiling at her. "I'm in the same dorm as you. It's a pleasure to meet you" they both bowed to each other slightly. The sound of a walkie talkie interrupted their greet.

A few muffled words through the device and Jihyo was already in a hurry. She bowed again to Chaeyoung. "Sorry but I have to get going…the other dorm leader should be here any moment from now. Her name is Nayeon…" Jihyo said quickly before excusing herself. She left with a small jog.

Chaeyoung sat on a bench, looking at Jihyo run elsewhere. She leaned back and looked up to the bright blue sky. She was tired. She already went through a long day. From having to wake up early to taking a plane for the first time. It didn't help that a mother with her baby sat next to her. She began to appreciate her earbuds.

With a sigh, she gently closed her eyes. Time passed slowly as it was almost painful. People walked by in a hurry. Some were old students and some were parents helping their children settle in. Chaeyoung couldn't afford to bring more luggage. It was expensive and too heavy for her to handle. That's why she brought a suitcase and a duffle.

She took off her glasses and put them away. They were put away in her duffle bag pocket. Instead she took out contacts for her to use. She didn't want to get a sunburn on the first day being here. 

She waited a few more minutes before checking her phone. She gave a quick call to her mother, explaining that she landed safely and that she was already at the school. After that call was finished, she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

She was starting to lose patience but she didn't want to look for the dorm herself. The campus itself was big and she can't afford to get herself lost within the first day of being here. Her dorm leader was probably busy and therefore running late. So instead she decided to keep waiting where Jihyo left her nearly an hour ago.

She took out her earphones and plugged it into her phone. While putting them on she was going through the series of playlists she had. After finally picking one she was in the mood to hear, she leaned back once more and closed her eyes.

The baby tiger slowly drifted to the soft clouds.


	2. Chapter 2

Chaeyoung slowed in her steps as she took in all of her surroundings. There were many hallways and doors arranged with a letter and number. She wheeled in her luggage carefully, carrying her duffle bag on her back as if it were a backpack. Her own backpack was put on backwards, on her chest. She was offered help by the girl she recalled as Momo but she politely declined.

Momo excused herself to call the others, to tell them that they had found Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung was left alone with Mina, who politely lead the way with a low voice.

Mina waited at the end of the hall, seeing her new roommate who was mesmerized by her surroundings. A small smile came to her face without her realizing, opting to let her adjust to her surroundings. She patiently waited for Chaeyoung to catch up. When she did, she would walk to the end of the passage and would wait again. The process was repeated until they stopped at the beginning of a flight of stairs.

"We are on the the third floor." Mina gulped as Chaeyoung stared at the steps with wide eyes. "Do you need help?" She offered, offering her hand to the new girl. Chaeyoung shook her head, rolling up her hoodie sleeves. She gave the steps a fierce look, reminding Mina of a tiger.

So she let Chaeyoung go first. Once the shorter girl went, Mina followed suit in case Chaeyoung struggled.

The dark haired girl looked in amusement as the girl puffed and continued to go up the steps despite the luggage she was carrying. When they reached the second floor, Chaeyoung was sweating. Mina stopped walking, waiting for Chaeyoung to catch her breath. She found it quite adorable how she was still trying to keep the tough act.

"I can help–" Mina offered but retracted her hand from the girl's suitcase as if it was fire when Chaeyoung was quick to refuse. "It's alright..." Chaeyoung calmed her breathing, tying her hair into a ponytail. They made it to the second flight of stairs, the last obstacle of the day. Before Chaeyoung could grab the handle of her suitcase, Mina took it.

"Please?" Mina tried again. Chaeyoung closed her mouth, not knowing how to reject her. Who can say no to that face?

So Chaeyoung gave a small nod. She saw as how Mina smiled brightly as she began to make her way upstairs with her suitcase. A smile appeared on her face before she went up the stairs herself. They made it to the third floor together, Mina rolling the suitcase to their destination.

"This is our floor's living area. Anyone from this floor can come here to hang out." Mina motioned to their surroundings.

Chaeyoung looked around. There was a coffee table with modern looking furniture for students to sit around. Bean bags and a couch were in front of a small television screen. There was a small reading area and even a ping pong table. On the opposite side was a tiny table with a microwave and a small fridge. "We all eat together in the cafeteria but some people bring snacks from home" Mina explained as Chaeyoung saw a small basket with all different kinds of snacks.

There would be a sticky note on the food with names. Chaeyoung notices that most of them belong to Momo.

They pass by it quickly, entering a hall with many doors. "There are only nine of us so we have this entire floor to ourselves. We have dorm leaders that take care of the place and are in overall command." Mina started to explain as they passed by two doors with golden stars. "Nayeon and Jihyo are the dorm leaders. They have a room to themselves in case you want to talk to them privately. You can talk to them about anything. They are really nice."

"I already met Jihyo, " Chaeyoung said, "she's nice."

"She's a really great person. You'll see that she's the mother figure of the group." Chaeyoung nodded at Mina's words. She spoke to her briefly during the tour. Jihyo does seem the type to be the mother figure of a group.

Mina stopped midway into the hall. "This is it." She said shyly, stepping back so Chaeyoung can go in first. Chaeyoung excused herself as she slowly opened the door, not knowing what to expect. She slowly entered, seeing the averaged sized room. Each side of the room had its own bed, desk, and clothing cabinet. One side was already decorated into a neat style, the side being Mina's. Chaeyoung's side was bare.

"Home sweet home for the next year…" Chaeyoung murmured, as she set her duffle bag on the desk. She began to look at the things at her disposal and was already thinking of ways on how to arrange everything.

"Is this everything you brought?" Mina rolled the suitcase to Chaeyoung's desk. Chaeyoung nodded, taking off her backpack and setting it on the bed. Mina looked at the overall sight in shock. This was quite little compared to the time of her stay. Chaeyoung didn't even bring her own bed covers. They was left with the thin and run down ones that the school provided.

The door knocking interrupted both of them. The door opened slowly, a girl with bunny teeth poking her head in. When saw both residents were there, she entered the room. She shook hands with Chaeyoung. "Welcome to our dorm, it's a pleasure to meet you." Nayeon welcomed and then then introduced herself to Chaeyoung. The newcomer did the same thing with a tiny tilt of head.

"Would you like to be left alone to unpack, or do you want to meet your dorm members? They are dying to meet you." Nayeon offered with a gentle smile in order to not pressure Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung nodded, really anxious. She decided to just get it over with today. She could unpack later. Its not like she brought many things to begin with.

Mina gazed at her roommate, nostalgia hitting her when she first started to attend boarding school as a child. Less than an hour of meeting Chaeyoung and she already knew her roommate was going to be able to pull through. Leaving your home and entering a new environment is draining. Most newcomers tend to get homesick, like Mina was at one point in her lifetime.

"You coming?" Nayeon asked her. Mina blinked, tearing her gaze away from the shorter girl to look at her friend. She didn't really feel like going until she saw Chaeyoung looked slightly more nervous because the only person she knew wasn't going. "Sure." Mina nodded, making Chaeyoung exit the room first before she could. Nayeon followed after them, closing the door behind her. She began to lead the way for Chaeyoung to the living area.

Three girls were sitting around the coffee table. Momo came in last minute and sat down with a bag of chips in hand.

Both sides politely greeted each other, Sana being the one to break the silence. "Aw she's so cute!" She said in awe. Chaeyoung's cheeks turned a tad pink at the sudden compliment. Nayeon was the one who sat down next to Sana, "Sana, you're flustering her."

Chaeyoung took the name in, trying to process the information. She sat down next to Mina and began to look at the others. There was still two people without a name. One was a pale skinned girl with ash blue hair. A really tall girl sat next to that girl, a stoic face coming to play. She looked really intimidating.

Before Nayeon can continue speaking, a phone began to ring. The tall girl took out her phone and excused herself apologetically. She answered the phone and excused herself from them, walking out of the common area. "That's Tzuyu, she's the youngest from all of us on this floor." Nayeon explained. "Isn't it Chaeyoung now? She looks really young." The pale skinned girl mentioned to the group. Her skin really reminded Chaeyoung of tofu.

"Tzuyu is still younger by a few months." Jihyo entered the common room. Everyone greeted her in unison, which she tiredly returned. She walked to the mini fridge and took out a water bottle. Jihyo walked to them and sat by herself on a singular couch. "Is everything okay? Have you settled in properly?" She turned to Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung saw all of the girls visibly tense except for Jihyo. She then remembered how she was made to wait for over an hour. Momo and Mina wouldn't stop apologizing for the first minutes of their encounter.

"Yeah, they picked me up on time and they helped me settle in my room." She lied.

And the atmosphere suddenly relaxed. Nayeon slumped back into her seat, extremely relieved. At the corner of her eye she saw Mina tuck in her lips, hidden guilt trying to come out.

Momo smiled, whereas Dahyun was trying her best not to laugh at the situation.

"That's good to know" Jihyo said wkth a gentle smile. "I know you went through the tour but do you want an in-depth one of the grounds? We can show you some secluded areas" she offered, to which Dahyun immediately jumped up. The rest of the girls agreed when Chaeyoung shyly nodded. Nayeon stood up, quickly changing the time on her watch to the correct one.

Chaeyoung turned and saw Mina still sitting down. "You're not coming?" Jihyo asked Mina, who rejected politely. The newcomer wanted to say something, but the words were stuck down her throat. Dahyun tapped Chaeyoung's shoulder, making her tear her gaze from Mina. They started to walk out of the common room.

"Mina isn't a bad person, she's just on the silent side" Dahyun held onto Chaeyoung's shoulders as they walked away. Sana joined in the conversation with a slight hop. "She'll warm up to you in no time so there's nothing to worry about!"

She eased into their words, hoping that no problems arise in between them.

When they group left, Mina was left to her own device. She took out her phone and unlocked it quickly. She scrolled through the numerous game apps she had downloaded on her phone. Once she picked one she was in the mood for, she entered her own little bubble.

That's when someone burst it.

Mina looked up from her phone as Tzuyu entered the common area. The tall girl noticed that the girls were missing. "Where's the rest?" She asked as she looked around. Mina paused the game she was playing to look up again. She set her phone down before answering. "They left to show Chaeyoung a better look around the campus"

Tzuyu merely nodded at the information. She offered no other effort to continue the conversation. They were both the most quiet out of the group. Mina saw Tzuyu excuse herself with a plastic bag in hand. It was a new bed cover set. When she left, Mina continued her game until she suddenly remembered something.

Chaeyoung.

She turned of her phone before sitting up. The Japanese girl made her way to Tzuyu's room. The door was already open so she knocked to make her presence known. Tzuyu looked up as she put her old bed and pillow covers into the plastic bag to replace with the new one. "What's happening?" Mina motioned to the bag. She sat down on Dahyun's undone bed. Tzuyu and Dahyun were roommates.

"Oh, this?" Tzuyu motioned to the new package. "My mom sent someone to give me this since I wanted a lighter color" she explained as she put the pale pink pillowcase on the pillow. With the tilt of her head she motioned to the other pillowcase, which was a light grey.

The Japanese girl stood up and picked up the plastic bag. "Can I have it?" She asked. Tzuyu looked at her friend in confusion, tossing the pillow aside. "Yeah you can unnie…but why do you need it? Didn't you already switch yours?" The Taiwanese girl asked as she set the new cover on the bed.

"It's for Chaeyoung," she said, biting her lip slightly. "She didn't bring one"

Tzuyu sat on her bed, looking at the girl before her. She took a deep breath before saying, "If that's the case then have a look here" she motioned to her desk that contained lots of things. "Its all of the things I'm going to throw out so pick out anything you want" she offered.

Mina thanked her sincerely before going to the desk. She started to see the many things that Tzuyu was going to throw out, some items being expensive. Totally expected from one of the wealthiest families in the world. "So Chaeyoung unnie…she isn't like us right?" Tzuyu asked. Mina nodded at the question.

"I don't think so" Mina said with a grim face. She set aside a blanket. Tzuyu's usual face of stoicism quickly changed to a troubled one. "Do you think she'll be okay? Momo and Nayeon unnie really struggled too when they entered…"

Momo and Nayeon are also some of the few people that make the small population of students that had entered due to scholarships. Coming from middle families–sometimes even from the lower class, these students enter due to their outstanding talents. From sports to music, a variety of students are offered a spot in such a prestigious school to maintain it's image and to let these students shine.

Mina sighed as Tzuyu was right to be concerned.

"Nayeon actually left at one point as well…" Tzuyu murmured.

The Japanese girl looked at the little pile of items she gathered for Chaeyoung. She looked out the window, recalling how the girl puffed and sweat as she made her way upstairs.

A small smile appeared on her face.

"Chaeyoung is strong" Mina said. She gathered her small bundle onto her hands.

"I certainly won't allow it to happen either" 

**______**

"Have you forgotten you have a sister?!" Chaeyoung distanced herself from the phone. She waited until her sister finished her scolding. Although Somi was younger than her sister, she acted as if she was the eldest.

"Anyways…" Somi finished. "Did you settle in properly?"

Chaeyoung looked at her unpacked luggage. She immediately started to do so. "You can say that. How's Dad?" She wondered. The suitcase was opened. Chaeyoung began to unpack the contents. She neatly organized her clothes into the drawer. "What can I say? We already miss you" Somi sighed through the other end.

"It hasn't even been a full day" Chaeyoung chuckled at her sister's words. She patted down her clothes as she made space for her other belongings.

"But you aren't going to be home in months"

Those words made her freeze. Chaeyoung frowned, closing the drawer and opening another one. All of this was finally making sense. "What are you saying…I'll be back before you know it" Chaeyoung managed out. She scratched the back of her head, unsure.

There was a knock on the door. Chaeyoung looked up and saw Mina enter the room carefully. Seeing that her roommate was on the phone, she immediately went back out before Chaeyoung could even say anything.

"I'll call you later, okay? Im tired" Chaeyoung quickly said. Somi let her off the hook with the promise that Chaeyoung would call tomorrow morning. As soon as she hung up, Chaeyoung went to the door.

"Sorry" she immediately apologized.

Mina shook her head, "It's alright…I brought you some things." She motioned to the things she was carrying.

They both entered their room. Chaeyoung closed the door as soon as her roommate entered. Mina set the things on her own bed, spreading the items out. "Tzuyu–she lives on this floor" Mina stated, "was throwing some things out and we picked out some things you might need." The Japanese girl stepped back. "pick anything you'd like"

Chaeyoung looked at the variety of items. She doesn't know much about brands but she knew some of these were incredibly expensive. Somi, her younger sister, is totally addicted to designer items despite the fact she doesn't own anything. She slowly started to pick out a few items.

"I'm not made of money...will I be alright?" Chaeyoung confessed. She frowned as she looked at the designer brand.

Mina opened her mouth, but then closed it. She didn't want to give false hope nor the truth. Looking at her roommate made her feel uneasy.

"Some might bully you to be honest...some might judge every single thing you do. But not everyone is like that" Mina ended up telling the truth. "you can trust me and the rest of the people in this floor. Nayeon and Momo are also in the same boat and they are doing just fine with us. We won't let anything bad happen"

Chaeyoung gave a small nod.

Mina sat on Chaeyoung's bed.

"So where are you from?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Will I ever get to see some of your work?"

"Only if I get to see you do ballet."

Mina gave a small smile. "I'll see what can be done about it." She crossed her arms. Chaeyoung had been arranging all of her clothes into the tiny closet. They have been talking the entire time. The conversations flowed easy in between them. They had learned a few things about each other like Chaeyoung's hobby of art and photography. Chaeyoung in return got to know that Mina enjoyed dancing–ballet more specifically.

"Why didn't you come with us to the tour?" Chaeoyung finally managed to say. Mina got up from her seat to sit down on her bed. She shrugged as she took her time to untie her shoes. "I dunno…I prefer to stay inside." Mina said nonchalantly.

Chaeoyung just nodded at the information as she slid the closet door closed. All of her belongings were neatly put away.

All that was left was her backpack, which mostly contained her personal belongings. It contained mostly necessities, like her phone charger and glasses case. There was a worn down journal from probably writing too much in it. A sketchbook caught Mina's attention. Once she set it all on her desk, all she had left was a packaged box. It was a gift that her family had given her the day before.

"You aren't going to open it?" Mina asked softly.

Chaeyoung pondered for a moment, her hand going over the messed up gift wrap. She could tell it was her brother's doing in on this. She played a little with the ribbon but stopped herself.

"It will feel real if I open it, you know?" Chaeoyung murmured as she stepped back. "It sounds stupid now that I think of it." She sighed as she sat on her own bed. The covers had been replaced with the ones Mina had given her. She made a mental note to thank Tzuyu later.

Mina opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. What was she supposed to say? She's been through the same thing when she was little. She doesnt even remember her first day in a boarding school. She wanted to tell Chaeoyung that everything was eventually going to smooth out.

Before she can say anything, a knock was heard on the door.

"Lights out!" Nayeon was heard on the other side of the door.

Footsteps were heard followed by Nayeons voice. Dahyun was heard complaining, which made both girls smile.

Another knock was heard on their doors. Jihyo poked her head into their room. "Lights have to be turned off around this time, okay? My door is always open for anyone for those who want to talk." She informed Chaeoyung. Once Chaeoyung thanked her she politely excused herself. They were left alone again.

Chaeyoung chuckled as Dahyun was heard reluctantly turning off the music that had been playing in a speaker. Mina stood up and walked over to the light switch. The lights flicked off, leaving them in complete silence. They got themselves ready for bed in comfortable silence. They dressed and got to their beds. Mina sat down instead, flicking on a tiny light that she normally used for reading.

Bidding her new roommate a good night, she took out a small book under her pillow and began to read.

Silence loomed over them. The only thing that was heard was Mina flipping a page and the sound of the clock ticking. It was after a while that Mina had drifted off from the words in the book. Her dark eyes briefly glanced to the other side of the room, where Chaeyoung supposedly slept.

But she wasn't.

Mina could see the covers shaking slightly. It reminded her of when she was homesick herself.

So she set her book down and crawled out of her bed, walking over to Chaeyoung's.

She hesitated for a moment, not knowing if she was intruding. So when she placed her hand on Chaeyoung's shoulder, Chaeyoung wasn't afraid of showing herself. The moonlight was enough to reflect those tears.

So she climbed onto the bed and hugged her roommate.

They held each other until they passed out.

**_____**

The sound of the door knocking stirred Nayeon awake.

She groaned as she sat up, a huge yawn coming out of her lips. It wasn't even an hour after lights out yet Nayeon had fallen asleep immediately as she had gotten into bed. Today has been draining. Besides being late because someone tempered with her watch, she had to make sure the entire floor was cleared. She also took Chaeyoung out in a mini tour with a promise that they were going to give her a full tour tomorrow.

All thoughts were cleared out the window as she saw Jeongyeon trying her best to close the door without making too much noise. She threw Nayeon a mischievous look.

Nayeon blushed, suddenly becoming aware of her appearance. Jeongyeon didn't mind though, those fierce eyes looking at her girlfriend with love filled eyes.

Jeongyeon and Nayeon are dating.

They have been dating for a year already. They went from bickering to every minute to loving each other. It took Jeongyeon to fall off her horse during riding lessons in order for Nayeon to tell how she felt about her. After that event they've been dating behind closed doors.

They both know they shouldn't be hiding it from their friends. All of them are extremely caring for each other, even if some refuse to say it. The news of them dating wouldn't even faze them. Nayeon didn't want to tell them though. Jeongyeon and Jihyo were the daughters of the headmaster at the school. They had a huge reputation among them and Nayeon didn't want to ruin Jeongyeon's.

Jeongyeon had told her repeatedly that she didn't care but Nayeon refused.

So here they are, meeting at times like this.

"Where have you been? Jihyo was looking everywhere for you." Nayeon whispered as Jeongyeon sat down on a chair.

"I went shopping to get some few things." Jeongyeon took off her leather jacket and rested it on Nayeon's desk. She held up a white paper bag in her defense and handed it to her girlfriend.

Nayeon gave a weird glance at Jeongyeon, who kept ushering her to look what was inside. So she did and saw a tiny black box. "This isn't a sick prank of yours, right?" Nayeon asked, not wanting to touch it at all.

"It's not a prank. Just open it." Jeongyeon insisted.

So she reached inside and took out the box. The bag was taken by Jeongyeon to be folded nicely away as Nayeon inspected the box. Guessing it was now or ever, she opened the lid softly and failed to refrain her gasp.

Jeongyeon took out the silver ring from the box. She took Nayeon's hand and slipped the ringer on her finger. It was a simple silver ring with no design on it. There was only a small engraving of the letter 'J'.

"I-" Nayeon stammered, seeing the ring in her moonlit room. She glanced at Jeongyeon, who reached to a silver necklace she had been wearing. After pulling it out, Nayeon realized that it was a couples ring. Jeongyeon was wearing the same one but with the letter 'N' on it.

Nayeon took her lovers hand, pulling her girlfriend into a sweet kiss.

**____**

Mina grumbled as she slowly stirred awake. A hand went to cover the bright rays of sun from hitting her eyes. She completely forgot about closing the blinds last night. Being on the third floor doesn't provide any natural coverage from the sun.

She slowly sat up and reached her hand out towards the window. She had closed the blinds slightly to prevent such light from coming in.

A big yawn came out of her as her eyes began to adjust to the morning light. It was her room, but something was different.

Mina was in the other side of the room.

She quickly got off the bed, falling on her behind on the floor. She winced silently, a hand rubbing her back as she composed herself. Mina got back up on her feet and stretched as she looked at the bed.

Chaeyoung was softly snoring, deep in sleep.

Mina was in a trance, looking at her fellow roommate. Its impossible to see someone looking this good in the morning. She's had her fair share of roommates, which proved that no being was indeed perfect. Even Tzuyu, who is known for her incredible looks, can look different. Looking at Chaeoyung though made her believe that some are blessed with perfection.

"Stop being a creep…" Mina scolded herself.

She turned to her own bed and turned off the reading light. It was left on during the night. Mina had forgotten to turn it off before going to comfort Chaeyoung.

A knock was heard before the door opened.

"Mina, you aren't going to eat? The dining hall is about to close." Momo poked her head inside. She immediately began to whisper midway when she realized that Chaeyoung was still asleep. Telling Momo they'll catch up later, she was left by herself again.

The sound of the door closing roused Chaeyoung awake.

Chaeoyung grumbled as she sat up. She rubbed her eyes and then squinted at her surroundings. At first, she was confused. She didnt recognize anything.

It wasn't her room back at home. It didn't smell of the flowers her mother would put in her room. There was no sound of a tractor, the sound of her father maintaining the fields.

She was in a complete different place, a new home for the next few months.

"Get ready, the dining hall is about to close." Mina told her as she began to put on her shoes. Chaeyoung tied her hair up, slowly getting out of bed. She checked the time on her phone and realized it was almost noon.

_How much did I sleep for?_

"Hey, are you feeling better?" Mina asked, tying her shoes.

Chaeyoung's cheeks flushed slightly. She was mortified that she cried within her first night. Not only that, but she had to sleep with her roommate, a complete stranger.

"Thank you"

"It gets better"

**___**

"Where were you guys? Serving hour is already over." Dahyun motioned to her table. All of the members from the floor were all sitting down and eating. Mina sat down next to Sana after a seat was cleared for her. Chaeyoung looked at the familiar faces while Jihyo offered her own seat for her. She went to grab a chair for herself as the newcomer sat down with them.

"We woke up late." Mina took the cup of coffee that Sana had offered. She took a small sip and tasted the sweetness of it. She preferred black coffee but this will do for today. Momo offered her last piece of toast but she politely declined.

"Figured…" Jihyo sat down at the end of the table since she didn't fit anywhere else. She handed Chaeyoung a plate piled with food. "Eat up." She motioned.

Chaeyoung hesitantly took a piece of toast and widened her eyes at how good it was.

"Tastes good, doesn't it?" A different voice asked.

Chaeyong looked at the girl sitting next to Nayeon. She hasn't seen her before but one thing is for sure, she had beautiful features. "This is my sister, Jeongyeon. She's also in our dorm." Jihyo introduced both sides. "This is Chaeoyung, our new transfer."

Jeongyeon threw her a smile, which Chaeyoung returned.

They spent the rest of the time chatting. It made Chaeyoung realized that within the group, there was subunits. Mina, Momo, and Sana would talk Japanese to each other occasionally while eating. Tzuyu and Dahyun had their little thing going on, with Dahyun trying to involve Chaeyoung into their conversation. Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Nayeon would talk about the school schedule.

The dining hall was huge. It reminded her of Harry Potter. There was multiple tables filled with students. Some of them wore their uniform and others didn't. For instance, Jihyo and Nayeon were the only girls within the group that were wearing the uniform. Chaeoyung guessed it was because there was two days left for students to settle in. She recalled seeing small tours of newcomers on her way to the dining hall.

Once Chaeyoung was finished with her food, they all worked together in cleaning up. They would push their chairs back in while others were in charge of taking the empty plates. Jeongyeon would be left to pick up remaining trash. Other students would do the same thing. Some didn't even bother. They would leave their mess for whoever to clean up.

Once they were finished, all went their own ways.

Jihyo took her to the office to get her issued uniform along with a school ID. Once that was taken care of, she went back to the dorm to put in her uniform in her closet. The dorms were almost empty, all of the students going about their day. Only a few would sit back. Like Sana, who was chilling at the common area. She was humming along to whatever music she was listening through her earphones.

Chaeyoung didn't bother talking to her. Sana was in her own little world.

She took the opportunity to venture out into the campus. All of them had told her where would they be in case she needed anything.

The first thing she remembered was Momo.

Chaeyoung went to the arts building and explored the building. There was many divided areas for students to do their own things. She entered a dance room and saw Momo dancing along to an upbeat song. Other students were dancing with her, all in sync. Despite it, Chaeyoung could see Momo's charisma.

Dancing was definitely for Momo.

When Momo finally noticed her, a small smile was thrown at her. Chaeyoung stalled around with the others who were taking their break from dancing. Once she decided she had enough, she left.

She then went to the rooftop.

As she went up the stairs, she froze.

There was a beautiful voice singing.

It was Nayeon, singing off from whatever was on the paper. She stopped abruptly, observing the lyrics. She then went to talk to a boy, who Chaeyoung assumed was the composer of the song. They started to discussed which tone the next part should be sang in.

Figuring they were busy, Chaeyoung left.

Her next stop: the library.

She bumped into Dahyun, who was helping out in organizing bookshelves. They chatted for a bit as they both started to help out. Once Dahyun was sent to do something else, she directed Chaeyoung to the very outskirt of the campus.

The stables were there.

"Yo!" Jeongyeon greeted her. Chaeyoung greeted her politely as Jeongyeon pushed a wheelbarrow of fresh hay. "Checking out the campus?"

Chaeoyung nodded, looking around in amusement. "Woah, what kind of animals do you keep here?"

"Horses for the most part. We have horse riding classes here." Jeongyeon said as she stopped moving the wheelbarrow. She then opened one of the doors and entered. Within a few seconds she was pulling out a horse.

Chaeyoung looked in amazement. She had horses back at home along with a few other animals. Touching the mane of this big creature made her feel at home.

"Last year we took in a little bunny. Poor Tzuyu didn't want to let him go back to the wild so here we are…" Jeongyeon said as she began to shovel the poop out. Chaeyoung helped in adding the new hay in and filling up the water containers.

"Experience?" Jeongyeon asked as Chaeyoung slowly lead the horse back inside.

"Somewhat. We have a couple of animals back at home."

Jeongyeon didn't press the topic much. They worked while maintaining a light conversation. Together they cleaned out the entire stables. In return for the help, Jeongyeon took Chaeyoung to see the bunny that Tzuyu couldn't let go of. They had it in a small enclosure. It was a spotted bunny that made both of them awe.

Chaeyoung was then lead to a whole other section.

The campus was much bigger than she thought. She couldn't believe it when Jeongyeon had told her that the campus included a lake. They were planning on going to visit Tzuyu but then Jihyo had called.

"Seems like I'm in trouble. Tzuyu should be down this path, alright? Take care!" And with that, Jeongyeon was gone.

Chaeyoung sighed. She was already tired from all of that walking. Helping Jeongyeon in cleaning the stables wasn't a wise idea either. She wanted to go back to the dorm to get a quick nap but decided that she was close enough. She followed the beat down trail that would lead to an open field.

A low whistle escaped her lips as she saw Tzuyu pull back an arrow.

Tzuyu was in archery gear, aiming at the targets. She suddenly aimed to the farthest one, squinting slightly. Chaeyoung wasn't the only one gawking. Tzuyu had an entire fan base composed of both boys and girls. They were all looking at her with admiration.

The arrow flew straight into the bullseye. Tiny cheers were heard as Tzuyu shyly lowered her bow down.

_She must be really popular..._

"Unnie?" Tzuyu recognized her.

"You're really good." Chaeyoung complimented. They both walked to the side to let someone else from the archery team take a shot. Tzuyu gave a small smile but didn't offer anything else to say.

"Thank you–for the covers I mean." She added. Tzuyu took a moment to process the words and then she nodded with a small smile as if she understood what she was saying.

"I'm always here to help, unnie. My Korean isnt every good but if you need anything I'll be here."

Chaeoyung didn't want to think much of her words. But looking at Tzuyu's face, she saw the sincerity through her eyes.

So she hugged her.

"Thank you."

**——**

Mina went to the archery grounds with a light jog. Ballet practice was over and Chaeyoung wasn't in the dorm. Going to Momo first lead her to a series of running all over the place. She would basically follow her footsteps and be lead where her friends told her.

After nearly an hour, she bumped into Jeongyeon, who said Chaeyoung was supposed to be in the archery grounds. Giving her a quick thanks, she made her way to the archery area. She never really liked it.

Yes, the place is usually calm.

Key word: _usually_.

Ever since Tzuyu entered the archery team, it's because a hot place for many. The group of people she saw stalling around proved her point.

One thing is for sure that Jeongyeon was right. Chaeyoung was there in all her glory, in training equipment as she handled a much smaller bow. Mina stood by the sidelines and watched with the others are she was laughing at how hard it was to even aim. Tzuyu taught her slowly with patience, guiding her through the entire process.

Once the arrow knocked down the stand instead of the target, both sides began to laugh.

Seeing Chaeyoung's face made her lips twitch upward.

With that, she went back to the dorms.


	4. Chapter 4

Chaeyoung stood in front of the mirror, extremely focused on her cufflinks.

"Stupid..."

Mina gave a light laugh, witnessing Chaeyoung struggling with the uniform. She was already dressed in her own uniform and doing her own thing. Looking at Chaeyoung struggle was far more entertaining than the game she was playing on her phone. Without saying anything she set her phone down before getting up.

She took Chaeyoung's wrist and lifted it up. Mina proceeded to fix the cufflinks that Chaeyoung was struggling with.

It gave Chaeyoung a closer look at her roommate. To say she is beautiful was an understatement. She had such a natural beauty that made Chaeyoung question if life was fair af all. However, there was something to Mina that she couldn't lay her finger on.

"Are you a foreigner?"

Mina gave a slight smile as she grabbed the blazer resting on Chaeyoung's chair. "I'm Japanese. Sana, Momo, and Tzuyu are foreigner's too." She began to explain. She helped Chaeyoung put on her blazer.

"Daebak...all of you guys are Japanese?"

"Tzuyu isn't; she's from Taiwan." Mina fixed her roommate's collar. While Chaeyoung was buttoning up her blazer, Mina took the ribbon and began to tie it slowly. "Tight?"

"It's perfect. Thanks, Mina." Chaeyoung thanked her.

With everyone settled in, classes start tomorrow. Everyone was now bound to wearing the uniform. Uniform wasn't mandatory in the weekends or certain days. Chaeyoung had mixed feeling about the uniform as it felt weird on her.

Look at me! I'm rich and go to a boarding school.

Their open door allowed for Nayeon to enter their room. She checked out Chaeyoung's uniform and how well it fitted her. "This size fits you better than the last one. I'll make sure to get more uniforms of this size then." She gave Chaeyoung her infamous bunny smile.

"Woah, you look great in uniform!" Jihyo poked her head inside. Chaeyoung gave a shy smile at receiving praise from both of her unnies. Although its only been two full days of being here, the people she's surrounded with are nothing but helpful. They don't bother asking any personal questions and they are always to help. Especially Jihyo, who will make it her priority to make sure everything is taken care of.

"Ready to go? I heard from Momo they are serving out great desserts!" Dahyun was heard from down the hall. With that all of the girls went to the dining hall together. All except for Momo, who was already there. She had left earlier with the excuse to save a table to seat all of them. Even Chaeyoung could tell it was all for the food.

She found herself following Dahyun and Tzuyu. Their conversations were much easier to follow and Dahyun tried to include Chaeyoung into the conversation more. It was easier to talk with them so she found herself within one of the sub units.

Chaeyoung looked up and saw Jeongyeon wrap an arm around Nayeon before giving a teasing remark. There was something up with them she couldn't figure out. They always bickered and argued but nonetheless there was a strong friendship there. It made her question how such a friendship would work.

All thoughts were done when they reached the dining hall. It was overflowing with students as Chaeyoung was actually on time. They were all sitting down, the dining hall filled with lots of chatter. Once they all gotten their food for the morning, they went to the only empty table that Momo had sparred them. As usual, there was always in need for one more chair since they had an odd number amount of people.

"I'll get a chair." Jeongyeon gave her seat to Nayeon before going elsewhere to get another chair. Everyone immediately set down to eat.

Chaeyoung took a sip of her orange juice as the conversation easily flowed within their group. They were all talking about their schedules for tomorrow and comparing classes.

She primarily focused on eating. She felt famished, as if she hasn't been eating for days. Although that wasn't the case, Chaeyoung couldn't fill her appetite. It was going to take a while to get used to the food here.

Once she finished all of her food, she noticed the person in front of her had slide a piece of toast onto her plate. Mina had given it to her nonchalantly, not even looking at her direction.

She's been grateful to have Mina. Although she tends to be on the quiet side, she has always help her. Chaeyoung is glad she ended with a kind roommate who looked after her and even noticed the little things. For instance, giving her piece of toast.

"—right, Chaeyoung?" Sana had turned to her.

As if she was caught like a deer in headlights, she blushed. She was so spaced out she didn't know what was being asked of her.

"Sana asked if you were liking it here so far." Jihyo helped her out.

She let out an uneasy laugh before nodding.

"You see? I told you so~" she stuck out her tongue to Jeongyeon, who rolled her eyes.

The table continued their own conversations. Chaeyoung only participated in a few, talking here and there or responding when someone asked a question. Mina was the first to leave, excusing herself politely. She didn't like loud noises so she left as soon she finished her food.

Eventually the students occupying the dining hall began to leave slowly. Most of their group was already gone except for a few. Deciding she ate enough, she opted to go back to the dorms. Chaeyoung wanted to look for her classes today. She knew the majority of the main buildings but she didnt want to get lost looking for her classes tomorrow.

She wanted to make sure where each of her classes would be at—

A hand gripped onto her uniform, pushing her back. She nearly fell back but managed to catch her own fall.

"Hey, watch where you're going." An irritated boy glared at her, releasing his hold on her. Before Chaeyoung could apologize, the boy and his friend walked past her, bumping into her shoulder on purpose. She fell on her behind, wincing at the impact.

"I swear...this school needs to stop accepting commoners." One muttered.

At the friend's snicker, it drove Chaeyoung over the edge. She immediately stood up and shouted at them a line of insults. It made both people stop in their tracks, reaching the same level of agitation. "Why you little..." the second raised his hand, clearly about to hit Chaeyoung. She was forced to shut her eyes and wish for the best.

It never came.

"Does there seem to be a problem here?" Tzuyu asked politely.

Both boys immediately straightened up at the sight of her, almost acting out of fear. "N-Nothing Ms. Chou...we were leaving—that's all" one managed out before dragging the other. At first he hesitated but he eventually decided to let it go, going their own ways.

Many thoughts were running through Chaeyoung's head. First was why the boys were afraid of Tzuyu. Guessing it was because of her family name, she discarded the thought until later. All that mattered was the burn on her hands for catching her fall.

"Are you alright?" Tzuyu turned. She glanced at Chaeyoung, who was busy dusting herself off. She winced slightly when she noticed her palms were scraped. Her knees were alright, just a few scratches from catching her fall the first time.

She took Chaeyoung's hand but the girl immediately retracted it, looking elsewhere.

Chaeyoung didn't want to cry at a time like this; not on her second day. She turned and hoped Tzuyu would be kind enough to not push it.

"Not everyone is like this, unnie." Tzuyu said in an apologetic tone. She sighed when she got no reaction of her.

"The infirmary is next to the main office if you want to clean your hands."

**____**

"Did something happen, dear?"

"Nah, just tired." Chaeyoung lied, tying her hair into a ponytail. She was facing the mirror within the infirmary, inspecting her swollen eyes from withholding tears. Her phone was on the sink, her mother's voice echoing in the empty facility.

The nurse was due to arrive next week. For the meantime it was just a save haven for Chaeyoung. She turned on the water and washed her hands slowly, not wanting it to hurt a lot. They were simple scrapes, only a few areas where it actually drew blood. Just washing her hands will do the trick.

"How is it over there? Made any friends?" Her mother asked with optimism. It almost made her feel jealous at how a person can be so bubbly all of the time. "The people in my dorm floor are nice..." she turned off the water before saying, "You can say they are my friends."

"That's great news. Did you open your sibling's gift? They've been dying to know your reaction."

Chaeyoung dried her hands, pondering for a moment. She didn't know how to respond to that question. "I've been busy settling in, mom. I'll open it when I get the chance." She wet a small towel before cleaning her face with it. It definitely made her feel better as the cold water relaxed her nerves.

"Somi mentioned you were settling in last time she called. Is there much to do there?"

Chaeyoung placed the first aid kit at the bottom of the sink. She began to open it slowly due to how her palms burned. "My uniform was a size too big so we had to find a size that fit today." She explained how her morning went while rummaging through the contents of the box. She briefly glanced at her blazer that was resting on one of the several beds within the infirmary. Her shirt sleeves were all rolled up to her elbows.

Once she found ointment she began to apply it to her injured palms. "We have classes tomorrow." She finished.

"Good luck okay? We're all rooting for you to do well so study hard!"

"Yeah...I'll study hard.'" She sighed, looking at her hands. Exchanging their farewells, the call ended.

"Is this what's in store for me?" She wondered to herself. Frowning at the sad reality, she began to apply ointment on her hands before putting a bandaid over the spots where blood was drawn out. She only needed a bandaid on her knee since her hands mostly caught her fall. 

She felt like she was overreacting. 

A simple comment shouldn't get her agitated. She knew this was bound to happen sooner or later. At the same time she didn't expect for it to happen so soon. 

_Keep my cool. This is my main objective._

Picking up her blazer, she left. 


End file.
